The five best pistes for beginners in Méribel

November 3, 2025

Read time: 6 mins

If you’re a beginner planning a ski holiday in Meribel, this guide is for you. Meribel is not just for expert skiers; in this guide, we’ll share the five best beginner-friendly runs. We’ll provide detailed instructions on how to access each run and how to safely bail out if needed.

How to use this guide (1 min to confidence)

If this is your first ski holiday, a few key terms will help clarify everything before you start exploring. When we say “beginner-friendly”, we mean wide greens or very mellow blues that are reliably groomed and easy to navigate.

A ‘piste’ simply means a marked ski run – in Meribel, they’re colour-coded: green for very gentle slopes, blue for easy runs with a mild gradient, then red and black for steeper, more advanced terrain.

You’ll also see the word ‘lift’ used for anything that takes you uphill – from magic carpets (moving conveyor belts used in beginner areas) to chairlifts and gondolas. A ‘download’ means you can ride the lift back down instead of skiing, which is perfectly normal if you’re tired or the weather changes.

Each route card in this guide includes:

Why it’s great – what makes that piste confidence-building.
How to get there – the lifts or meeting points you’ll need.
First lap tip – an insider hint to help you start smoothly.
Bail-out – your safe way back down or out if you’ve had enough.
Good times to ski it – when the slope is quietest or snow is best.

Safety first – getting back down without stress

Every skier, even locals and instructors, sometimes rides the lift down instead of skiing. It’s called ‘downloading’, and it’s one of the best habits you can learn early on. There’s no prize for forcing yourself down a steep or crowded run when you’re tired, cold, or visibility drops. Using the lift to return safely saves your legs and keeps your confidence high for tomorrow.

Here’s how it works: when you reach the top of a gondola or cable car, you can take the same lift back down. You’ll see a “Download / Descente” sign or arrows showing where to queue. Most gondolas are fully enclosed, so you can sit inside with your skis still on or resting beside you. If you’re on a beginner or pedestrian ticket, single or return rides are available at the ticket office or online.

In Meribel, these are the key download options:

From Alitport: Rhodos
From Rond point: Rhodos or bus
From Meribel Mottaret bus
From Tougnete area – Tougnete

The five best beginner pistes in Meribel (route cards)

Piste de Animaux – Green

Why it’s great for first-timers: Gentle gradient.
How to get there: To reach it from the top of Rhodos 2, the highest lift stop, go about 100 meters toward the Blanchot piste, then keep right until you reach the Dent de Bourgin chairlift starting point.
First lap tip: Access to the slope requires crossing the end of a blue run, so you must be cautious. There’s a slight sideways incline at the entry point. Take it easy, let go before the flat bit mid-piste so that you won’t get stuck and you’ll be able to appreciate what skis are made for.
Bail-out: Download on the Rhodos bubble.
Good times to ski it: Morning for smooth corduroy, the run it’s posted every day.

Inuit run – Green

Why it’s great for first-timers: Gentle gradient, fun Inuit park area.
How to get there: To reach it from the top of Rhodos 2, the highest lift stop, go about 50 meters toward Rhodos restaurants, turn left just before it, and there is a big wolf at the entrance (it might change as it changes every year).
First lap tip: At the bottom of it, stay on the right and enjoy the wide bottom part of the Blanchot run, which this run merges into.
Bail-out: Reach the top with the altiport chairlift and get back to the Rhodos bubble via the top part of the Blanchot run.
Good times to ski it: Morning for courdroy.

Yeti Park – Green

Why it’s great for first-timers: Reserved for beginners, no other lifts serve it from the top.
How to get there: First stop of the Combes chair, in Mottaret.
First lap tip: Don’t miss the tunnels!
Bail-out: If the last part of the run is too crowded, you can still turn left into the Mottaret beginner area!
Good times to ski it: Morning for smooth corduroy [e.g., mornings for smooth corduroy.

Truite – Green

Why it’s great for first-timers: One of the main connections between Meribel and Mottaret allows you to ski just by going up with the bus.
How to get there: From the main area in Mottaret, take the tunnel by the tourist office and you’re there.
First lap tip: Be careful at the mid-action of the run, which is a bit of a funnel. The run can be busy with faster skiers returning, so despite being a green run with a gentle gradient, you’ll need a bit of confidence as surrounded by other skiers.
Bail-out: N/A
Good times to ski it: Quiet times, such as lunchtime. It can be done directly, following the Yeti run, after a hot chocolate in Mottaret!

Perdrix – Green

Why it’s great for first-timers: Allows you to reach Mottaret from Méribel Centre via the Tougnète lift.
How to get there: Turn onto one, then turn right under the gondola.
First lap tip: Stay on the very right at the entrance for easier access.
Bail-out: Get the truite from Mottaret to go back.
Good times to ski it: Mornings and lunch times.

Suggested progression loop

We suggest the following ski beginner progression loop:

Piste des Animaux
Inuit
Perdrix
Yeti
Truite

You can actually plan to do:

To start your skiing adventure, go up Rhosod to the top, then take the ski piste des Animaux. After that, head up the Altiport and ski from the top of Blanchot, followed by the Inuit Run. Return to the top of the Altiport chairlift and reach the top station of Rhodos.

To get back to Méribel Centre, take the Rhodos Bubble. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a hot chocolate there!

Next, hop on the Tougnete lift and ski down Perdrix into Méribel Mottaret. From Mottaret, ski the Yeti Run down, and then make your way back to Méribel Centre via the Truite run.

Common beginner pitfalls in Méribel (and fixes)

Going on any green run without having mastered the nursery areas – greens can be long and hard. Respect also the given sequence as some greens are harder then others! Venture too early down to Méribel after skiing the Altiport area. It’s a blue run, blue runs down to Meribel, can be crowded and icy, it can be very tricky!
Ski from Motteret to Méribel via the Truite run straight away. It’s a long run and the middle section can be icy at times. Make sure you master both the nursery areas and you feel fresh and confident before venturing there.
Careful when transitioning from green runs to blue runs, some blue runs are darker blue and more difficult but it’s not easy to notice! Get an instructor to guide you through all the secret, easy ways!